Turkey-backed rebels regain town from government forces in Syria's Idlib

Turkey's President Erdogan backtracks on summit plans to discuss escalating violence

Damaged homes in the village of al-Nayrab, about 14 kilometres southeast of the city of Idlib in northwestern Syria, after Turkish-backed rebels seized the village from regime forces. AFP

Damaged homes in the village of al-Nayrab. AFP

Damaged homes in the village of al-Nayrab.

RPG shells and military equipment in the village of al-Nayrab. AFP

Defused anti-tank mines in the village of al-Nayrab. AFP

A burnt vehicle in the village of al-Nayrab. AFP

Damaged homes in the village of al-Nayrab. AFP

Turkish-backed rebels ride their motorcycle in the village of al-Nayrab. AFP

The damaged roof and minaret of a mosque in the village of al-Nayrab. AFP

The interior of a mosque in the village of al-Nayrab. AFP

Damaged homes in the village of al-Nayrab. AFP

Syrian rebels backed by the Turkish military have seized the town of Al Nayrab in northwest Syria’s Idlib, Turkish and rebel officials said on Tuesday, the first area to be taken back from Syrian government forces advancing in the province.

"With the help of our Turkish friends, we have regained control of the strategic town of Nayrab, the gateway of Saraqeb, after expelling the terrorist Russian militias," Yusef Hamoud, spokesman for the Turkey-backed National Army, told Reuters.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s forces, supported by Russian air power, are trying to retake the last large rebel-held region in Syria after nine years of war.

On Saturday, Mr Erdogan had said he would hold a four-party summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, France's Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel on March 5 to discuss the escalating violence in northern Syria. He told reporters that Turkey had set out a "road map" for Syria after calls with the three leaders.

But on Tuesday he said in a televised press conference before travelling to Azerbaijan "there is no full agreement" on holding the meeting. The Turkish leader said he might instead hold face-to-face talks with Putin on March 5, either in Istanbul or in Ankara.

Despite supporting opposing sides in the conflict, Turkey and Russia have worked together to contain the violence in Syria but the latest flare-up has strained ties between the two countries.

On Monday, the UN warned of an imminent "bloodbath" as the fighting drew close to encampments where civilians have fled the months-long offensive. Five civilians were killed as regime forces seized "several towns and villages" south of the M4 motorway, The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.

Nearly a million Syrians have been displaced by the latest fighting. The International Committee of the Red Cross called on the warring sides in Idlib on Tuesday to allow safe passage for civilians to escape attacks and reminded them that hospitals, markets and schools are protected by law.

Turkey has sent thousands of troops and equipment into the region to support the rebels in resisting the offensive. A Turkish security official said that the Turkish military had supported the rebel offensive with shelling and that bomb disposal teams and the rebels were now clearing the regained town of Al Nayrab.

Their next goal was to capture the strategic town of Saraqib, where Syria’s main north-south highway linking Damascus and Aleppo meets the road west to the Mediterranean.

“This will happen soon. The regime suffered heavy losses in the clashes last night. Also, a serious amount of weapons and ammunition was seized,” the Turkish official added.

He said there had been no clash between Turkish and Russian forces in Monday’s advance on Al Nayrab and that no Turkish soldiers had lost their lives.

Two weeks ago, the Turkish Defence Ministry said Syrian government forces briefly abandoned Al Nayrab as the Turkey-backed rebels advanced on the town. However, the rebels were subsequently pushed back from the area.

Since Turkey poured its forces into northwest Syria to halt the Syrian government forces’ campaign, 17 members of the Turkish forces have been killed.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said there was not yet full agreement on holding a proposed March 5 summit with Russia, France and Germany on the Idlib conflict, but he may meet Russia’s Vladimir Putin on that date.

Turkey already hosts 3.7 million Syrian refugees and says it cannot handle another wave. It has closed its borders.